Cane crutch



nited This invention relates to a canecrutch lof -the general typewhich`comprises a shaft, aff-orearm-'encircling member in the form of a splitring or band pivotally mounted on the upper end of the shaft, and alaterally extending rigid handle-or hand grip that is spaced below )theforearm-embracing member. The handle is at a Apoint that divides Ltheshaft into an upper `portion of minor length and a lower-portion`ofmajor length.

In la cane crutch ofthe type heretofore prevalent the embracing memberfor the `forearm is mounted on a laterally extending pivotrearward ofthe Iposition of the users arm and the pivot axis lies entirely behindthe Ausers arm and completely outside the configuration of the embracingmember. The serious disadvantage of this arrangement .is that theembracing member does not 1pivot in a manner to conform quickly andfreely to varions angles of the forearm in the plane of the forwardlyextending handle.

The lack of freedom to conform to a change in angle of the forearmarises from the fact that the lateral pivot axis is spaced rearwardlyaway from the embracing member instead of lying within .theconfiguration of the member. Consequently the whole embracing membermust move bodily along an 'arcuate path to conform to a change in angleof the forearm. Thus when the user slips on a wet surface or for anypurpose loses his balance and instinctively moves the lower tip of thecrutch forward or rearward to protect himself, the forearm is brought tobear violently against the embracing member and the embracing memberbinds on the forearm with the upper and lower edges digging into theflesh instead of the lembracing member shifting bodily to a position forlying at and comfortably against the flesh. This binding action is notonly uncomfortable and often pai-nful but .is also hazardous since thebinding action creates ya forceful leverage diagonally across theembracing member. This leverage tends to spread the split ends of theembracing member apart for complete disengagement from the users armwith the possibility of serious consequences.

Broadly described, the present invention eliminates this inherentdisadvantage by mounting the embracing member for .the forearm forrotation about a transverse axis that passes through the configurationof the embracing member and therefore intersects the users arm.Preferably the axis is located at approximately the center of the crosssection of the users arm. By virtue of this new pivotal relationship theembracing member lies flat against the flesh of the forearm and freelyconforms to changes in the relative angle of the forearm since the newlocation of the pivot axis ymakes it unnecessary for the embracingmember to shift longitudinally of the arm to make a change in angle. Theembracing member turns freelyon the central pivot instead ofcontinuously working against a remote pivot.

There is a further advantage in the highly convenient manner in whichthe embracing member serves as mean-s `to hold the cane crutch insuspension when the user retent ll'lfld Patented Dec. 24, 1957 leasesthe handle of the cane crutch to free his hand for some purpose. Thus ifthe user releases the handle and flexes his arm upward for the purposeof grasping some object higher than the level of the hand grip, thereleased cane crutch is suspended in -a freely pivoted manner thatavoids interference with the upward `arm movement. This freedom arisesfrom the fact that the suspension pivot passes through the users forearmcentrally of the thickness of the arm. Moreover, when the usersubsequently lowers his forearm to again grasp the handle, the handle isautomatically guided into a position to be grasped by the hand since thehandle lies in or close to the plane of `rotation of the embracingmember.

A further feature of the preferred practice of the invention is themanner in which the shaft of the cane 'crutch is offset above theforwardly extending handle to permit the new location of the pivot axisfor the ernbracing member. As will be explained, this offset preferablycomprises two opposite bends in a. plane that is at an acute anglerelative to the forwardly extending handle.

The various features and advantages of the invention may be understoodfrom the following detailed description taken with the accompanyingdrawing.

1n the drawing, which is to be regarded as merely illustrative:

Figure 1 is `a perspective view of the right hand cane crutch with thehand and forearm of the user shown lin phantom;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the right hand cane crutch in verticalposition;

.Figure 3 is a similar plan view of the left hand cane crutch;

"Figure 4 is .-a sectional view of the hand grip of the crutch taken asindicated by the line 4-4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is a view partly in cross-section and partly in side elevationshowing how the shaft is made in two telescoping sections for adjustmentin length.

The principal parts of the selected embodiment of the invention show-nin the drawing include afshaft 10 a forearm-embracing member 12 that ispivotally mounted on the upper end of the shaft, and a handle orhandgrip 14 that extends rigidly from the shaft at a point spaced belowthe arm-embracing member. The major portion of the length `of the shaft10 is below the handle 14, and preferably is straight. The upper minorportion of the length of the shaft between the handle 14 and theforearm-embracing member 12 is formed with an offset 15 which preferablycomprises two rounded opposite bends f6 and 18 that lie in the sameplane. A conventional rubber tip member 19 is shown mounted on the lowerend of theshaft 10.

Preferably the shaft 10 is adjustable in length `and for this purpose itmay be made in two sections comprising a lower section 10a and an uppersection 10b that telescopes over the upper end of the lower section. Inthe present embodiment of the invention the lower end` of the uppershaft section 10b is formed with a screw thread for engagement with .theinternal screw thread of hexagonal bushing Ztl. As best sh-own in Figure5, the hexagonal bushing 2li is formed with an inner circumferentialgroove 22 to receive a deformable ring member 24, which ring member maybe a conventional O-ring of rubber-like material.

lt can be seen in Figure 5 that the lower end of the hexagonal bushing20 extends radially inward close to the periphery of the shaft section10a so that the lower side` wall 25 of the groove 22 overhangs thebottom end of thew upper shaft section 10b and may be shifted towardsvand away from this lower end by rotation of the hexagonal bushing. Thusthe groove 22 cooperates with the loWtr` 3. end of the shaft section band the peripheral surface of the lower shaft section 10a to form anannular space in which the ring member 24 is confined and this annularspace may be contracted by tightening the hexagonal bushing on the lowerend of the shaft section 10b. This contraction in the volume of thespace confining the ring member 24 causes the ring member to be deformedinto pressure contact with the periphery of the shaft section 10a, theradially inward pressure of the ring member being effective to maintainthe two shaft sections 10a and 10b in fixed relation to each other.

Preferably the handle 14 is adjustable on the shaft 10 and the handlemay be made of any suitable construction for this purpose. In thepresent embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 4, the handle 14includes a split ring member 26 having a pair of ends and this splitvring member embraces the shaft 10 with a gap 28 between the two splitends. The two split ends have integral extensions 30 directed radiallyaway from the shaft 10 and a suitable screw 32 interconnects the twoextensions 30 for the purpose of tightening the ring member into xedengagement with the shaft 10. The shank of the screw extends through abore 34 in one of the integral extensions 30 with the head of the screwin a counterbore 35, and the shank of the screw is threaded into atapped bore 36 in the other integral extension. The handle constructionis completed by a hollow handle member 38 of exible plastic materialwhich telescopes over the two extensions 30 of the split ring 26, thishandle member having an aperture 40 for access to the screw 32. It isapparent that the screw 32 may be loosened to permit the handle or handgrip 14 to be shifted along the shaft 10 and that the screw may betightened to hold the handle at a selected position in a xed manner. Animportant advantage of this method of mounting a handle on the crutchshaft is that it does not necessitate weakening the shaft by the removalof material therefrom.

The forearm-embracing member 12 includes a split band 42 of flexiblesheet metal which preferably is formed with an upper outwardly turnedlip 44 and a similar lower outer turned lip 45 to avoid impingement ofabrupt edges on the users forearm. This split band 42 may be pivotallymounted on the shaft 10 in any suitable manner.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the split band 42 of theforearmembracing member is carried by a yoke 46 that straddles the splitband and is bonded thereto, for example, by spot welding. The centralportion of this yoke 46 is mounted on a spindle 48 that extends throughthe upper end of the shaft 10 and is suitably journalled therein. In theconstruction shown a plug 50 is mounted in the upper end of the tubularshaft and the spindle 48 is journalled in a sleeve 52 that extendsthrough the plug 50 and through the opposite walls of the tubular shaft.The spindle may be rotatably retained in the sleeve 52 by a splitretaining ring 54.

In Figure 2, which is a plan view of a right hand cane crutch invertical position and in Figure 3 which is a similar view of a left handcane crutch, it can be seen that the handle 14 extends in a forwarddirection and that the pivot axis of the forearm-embracing member 12, i.e. the axis of the spindle 48 extends in a transverse direction. Thevertical plane of the pivot axis intersects the handle 14 centrallythereof, and the pivot axis passes through the forearm-embracing member12 substantially diametrically thereof. Thus, when the cane crutch is inuse the -pivot axis provided by the spindle 48 passes through the usersarm centrally thereof. With reference to the plane of the offset of theshaft, it can be seen that both the direction of the handle 14 and thedirection of the pivot axis of the forearm-embracing member 12 areinclined at acute angles relative to this plane, both lying on the sameside of the plane and both being inclined toward each other. In thisparticular instance the inclination of the handle and the inclination ofthe pivot axis relative to the 4 plane of the offset are nearly equaland the vertical plane of the pivot axis substantially bisects thehandle 14.

It is apparent that the flesh of the forearm in contact with the innersurface of the split band 42 may incline at various angles relative tothe handle 14 and that the split band 42 will automatically accommodateitself to the particular inclination of the forearm with which it makespressure contact. It may also be noted that the gap of the split band 42is positioned to one side instead of being in either a forward orrearward position. Thus the gap in the split band is on the broadestsidee of the users forearm.

It is apparent that with the users forearm extending through theforearm-embracing member 12 and with the user gripping the handle 14,the lower straight portion of the shaft 10 below the handle extends insubstantially the same direction as the users forearm. Thus there is acertain naturalness in the use of the cane crutch since it serves ineffect as a relatively long extension of the users forearm.

It is also to be noted that if the user relinquishes his grip on thehandle 14 and exes his forearm upward for some purpose, for example, tograsp an object at a higher level than the handle, the forearm-embracingmember 12 will serve as means for pivotally suspending the cane crutch.In this manner the cane crutch remains immediately available for usewhenever required and a special advantage of this arrangement is thatwhen the user again lowers his forearm the handle 14 is automaticallymaintained in the desired forward alignment for convenient grasp by theusers hand.

My description in specific detail of the selected embodiment of theinvention will suggest various changes, substitutions and otherdepartures from my disclosure that properly lie within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cane crutch having: a shaft; a forwardly extending handle on theshaft; and an arm-embracing member pivotally mounted on the shaft withthe pivot axis extending substantially perpendicularly of the directionof the handle and passing through the arm-embracing member to intersectthe users forearm.

2. A cane crutch comprising: a shaft; an arm-embracing member; meanspivotally mounting said member on the upper end of said shaft in aposition extending laterally therefrom for rotation relative theretoabout a pivot axis transversely of the shaft; and a handle rigidlymounted on said shaft and extending laterally therefrom at a pointspaced below said pivot axis, said handle extending in a directionsubstantially from the direction of said pivot axis, said shaft beingsubstantially straight below said handle and being offset between thehandle and the pivot axis to position said pivot axis in a plane that isparallel with said straight portion of the shaft and intersects saidhandle.

3. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 2 in which the upper end of saidshaft is substantially parallel with said lower straight portion of theshaft.

4. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 2 in which said offset is in asecond plane that extends radially of said straight portion of the shaftat an acute angle from the direction of said handle.

5. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 2 in which said offset comprisestwo opposite bends.

6. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 2 in which said plane intersectssaid handle at approximately the center of the handle.

7. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 2 in which said arm-embracingmember is made of liexible material and has a gap therein on the sidethereof away from the shaft.

8. A cane crutch comprising: a shaft; a member forming an opening toembrace the forearm of the user; means pivotally mounting said member onthe upper end of said shaft in a position extending laterally therefromfor rotar tion relative thereto about a pivot axis transversely of theshaft; and a handle rigidly mounted on said shaft and extendinglaterally therefrom at a point spaced below said pivot axis, said shaftbeing offset between the handle and the pivot means in a longitudinalplane, said pivot axis and said handle being inclined from said plane atacute angles.

9. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 8 in which said pivot axis andsaid handle incline toward each other with respect to said plane.

10. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 9 in which said pivot axis andsaid handle extend in directions 90 from each other.

11. A cane crutch as set forth in claim 10 in which the direction ofsaid pivot axis and the direction of said handle 15 are bothsubstantially 45 from the plane of said oiset.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BrownFeb. 26, 1918 McFarlund et al Nov. 19, 1935 Burry et al Aug. 1, 1950Neptune Sept. 18, 1951 Wood May 18, 1953 Neptune Apr. 10, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS Great Britain Dec. 30, 1948 France July 21, 1954

